Golf putting practice device



E- R. DAViS GOLF PUTTING PRACTICE DEVICE Filed Oct. 23, 1964 INVENTO R.Q M/QVZ/ 2 @Qw's ATTORNEYS United States Patent C) 3,313,544 GOLFPUTTING PRACTICE DEVICE Edward R. Davis, R0. Box 568, Sperry, Okla.74073 Filed Oct. 23, 1964, Ser. No. 406,096 4 Claims. (Cl. 273-177) Thisinvention relates to a golf putting practice device. More particularly,the invention relates to a device for positioning on a flat surface,such as a floor, for use in practicing the putting of golf balls.

Others have proposed various devices for use to practice the putting ofgolf balls. Examples of prior proposals of devices of this type may befound in the following patents:

(A) U.S. 954,299, issued Apr. 5, 1910 to C. W. Johnson,

for Golf Ball Trap for Golf Putting Practice.

(B) U.S. 1,297,055 issued Mar. 11, 1919, to Frank F.

Austin for Golf-Cup.

(C) U.S. 1,510,239 issued Sept. 30, 1924, to O. B. Monosmith for GolfApparatus.

(D) U.S. 1,529,749 issued Mar. 17, 1925, to J. Morrison, Jr. for IndoorGolf Device.

(E) U.S. 1,623,284 issued Apr. 5, 1927, to E. W. Stoddart for GameTarget Plate.

(F) U.S. 1,939,142 issued Dec. 12, 1933, to I. K. Seymour for GameDevice.

(G) U.S. 1,973,513 issued Sept. 11, 1934, to W. H. Stayton et al., forPortable Putting Device.

(H) U.S. 2,635,879 issued Apr. 21, 1953, to W. H. Rath,

for Simulated Golf Cup.

(I) U.S. 2,899,207 issued Aug. 11, 1959, to W. A.'Billinghurst, forDevice for Golf Putting Practice.

(J) U.S. D. 157,727 issued Mar. 21, 1950, to G. R. Benak for ReboundDevice for a Ball Rolling Amusement Game.

(K) Great Britain 184,409.

While others, including the above, have proposed various devices for useto practice the putting of golf balls, this invention has the object ofproviding a putting device having the following distinguishingcharacteristics:

(1) A putting practice device which perfectly simulates the golf cup insize.

(2) A golf putting practice device which is completely portable.

(3) A golf putting practice device which does not have to be fastened orsecured in any way to the surface on which it is used.

(4) A golf putting practice device which is capable of retaining morethan one ball.

(5) A golf putting practice device which is adjustable for the type offloor on which it is utilized.

(6) A golf putting practice device which is completely dependable, whichis sturdy and substantially nondestructible, and which at the same timeis economical of manufacture and assembly.

This object will be satisfied and a better understanding of theinvention will 'be had by referring to the following description andclaims, taken in conjunction with the attached drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric top view of the golf putting practice device ofthis invention.

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view of the golf putting practice deviceof this invention with a golf ball shown entrapped by the device.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view similar to that of FIGURE 2 showingthe action of the device as a golf ball passes under the plate member.

This invention may be described as a golf putting practice device. Moreparticularly, but not by way of limitation, the invention may bedescribed as a golf putting practice device comprising an upright basemember hav- 3,313,544 Patented Apr. 11, 1957 ice ing a fiat bottomsurface, the height of the base member being substantially that of agolf ball, a threaded pin eX- tending vertically from the top of the'base member, a fiat horizontal tiltable plate member supported on thetop of the base member having a central opening therein looselyreceiving the threaded pin, a coiled spring received by the pin havingthe lower end in engagement with the top of the plate member, and a nutmember threaded onto the pin adjustably compressibly retaining thespring.

Referring now to the drawings, the device consists of a base 10 having aflat lower surface 12. Extending from the top surface 14 of the base 10is a vertical threaded pin 16. A flat plate member 18 has a centralopening 20 therein which loosely receives the threaded pin 16. The fiatplate member 18 is supported by its lower surface 22 against the uppersurface 14 of the base member 10 and is tiltable relative to the base10. A coiled spring 24 is received by the threaded pin 16, the lower endof the coiled spring engaging the upper surface 26 of the plate member18. A nut member 28, preferably of the wing nut type as shown, isthreaded onto the upper end of threaded pin 16 to retain the upper endof spring 16. Spring 16 is thereby compressibly retained against theplate member 18.

The plate member 18 includes a circumferential downwardly extending lipportion, generally indicated by the numeral 30. Preferably, the plate 18is of some hard material, such as metal or plastic, while the lipportion 30 is of some resilient material. In the embodiment shown thelip portion 30 consists of a soft rubber tubing 32 having one surfaceglued to the lower surface 22 of plate member 18.

An alternate arrangement, as shown, includes the use of one or morewashers 34 received by the threaded pin 16 and positioned between theupper surface 14 of base 10 and the lower surface 22 of plate 18.

The washers 34 may be of some resilient material such as rubber. Thebase 10 is preferably tapered to converge to a smaller diameter topportion 14. The diameter of the base 10 is such as to allow a golf ballto be loosely positioned between the base and the interior of the lipportion 30.

The diameter of plate 18 is preferably four and onehalf inches, beingthe diameter of a regulation golf cup.

Operation In the use the device may be set on any flat surface, eitherindoors or outdoors. The operator merely places the invention on thesurface and utilizes it to receive golf balls in the same manner as agolf cup. When a ball strikes the lip portion 30 of plate 18 the platetilts (as illustrated in FIGURE 3) to permit the ball to enterthereunder.

After the plate 18 tilts, spring 24 causes it to reassume immediatelyits horizontal position so that the golf ball, indicated by dottedoutline and by numeral 36, is retained under the plate 18. Sufficientspace is available under the plate 18 and around the base 10 to retainseveral golf balls. Wing nut member 28 may be easily adjusted to varythe amount of force required for the ball to enter under the plate 18.

Washers 34 are useful to vary the heighth of plate 18 relative to thebottom 12 of base 10. When additional washers are added the heighth ofplate 18 increases so that less tilting of the plate is required topermit a ball to enter thereunder. In addition, when the washers 34 areof resilient material, the tilting of plate 18 is substantially silent.The use of a resilient material, such as rubber tubing 32, is preferredfor the lip portion 30 for such resilience makes the golf ball 36 enterthereunder with less tilting of plate 18 and, in addition, theresilience of rubber tubing 32 helps retain the balls under the plate18.

After the device has been utilized to collect one or more golf balls,the user merely picks it up to remove the entrapped golf balls and setsit down again for the next use.

The golf putting practice device thus fulfills the objects of theinvention as has been set forth.

Although the invention has been described with a certain degree ofparticularity, it is manifest that many changes may be made in thedetails of construction and arrangement of components without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed:

1. A golf putting practice device comprising:

an upright base member having a flat bottom, the heighth of the basemember being substantially that of a golf ball;

a threaded pin extending vertically from the top of the base member;

a flat horizontal tiltable plate member supported on the top of the basemember having a central opening therein loosely receiving the threadedpin, the plate member having a circumferential downwardly extending lipportion on the bottom surface thereof, 25

the vertical distance between the lower edge of the lip portion and thebottom of the base member being less than the diameter of a golf ball;

a coiled spring received by the pin having the lower end in engagementwith the top of the plate member; and

a nut member threaded onto the pin adjustably compressibly retaining thespring.

2. A golf putting practice device according to claim 1 wherein saidplate member is of stiff material and said lip portion is of resilientmaterial.

3. A golf putting practice device according to claim 1 wherein said basemember is tapered upwardly providing a smaller diameter top.

4. A golf putting practice device according to claim 1 including atleast one washer receiving the threaded pin and positioned between thetop of said base and said plate members.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1919 Austin273-177 8/1959 Billinghurst 273-177 FOREIGN PATENTS 8/1922 GreatBritain. 4/ 1939 Great Britain.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

L. J. BOVASSO, Assistant Examiner.

1. A GOLF PUTTING PRACTICE DEVICE COMPRISING: AN UPRIGHT BASE MEMBERHAVING A FLAT BOTTOM, THE HEIGHTH OF THE BASE MEMBER BEING SUBSTANTIALLYTHAT OF A GOLF BALL; A THREADED PIN EXTENDING VERTICALLY FROM THE TOP OFTHE BASE MEMBER; A FLAT HORIZONTAL TILTABLE PLATE MEMBER SUPPORTED ONTHE TOP OF THE BASE MEMBER HAVING A CENTRAL OPENING THEREIN LOOSELYRECEIVING THE THREADED PIN, THE PLATE MEMBER HAVING A CIRCUMFERENTIALDOWNWARDLY EXTENDING LIP PORTION ON THE BOTTOM SURFACE THEREOF, THEVERTICAL DISTANCE BETWEEN THE LOWER EDGE OF THE LIP PORTION AND THEBOTTOM OF THE BASE MEMBER BEING LESS THAN THE DIAMETER OF A GOLF BALL; ACOILED SPRING RECEIVED BY THE PIN HAVING THE LOWER END IN ENGAGEMENTWITH THE TOP OF THE PLATE MEMBER; AND A NUT MEMBER THREADED ONTO THE PINADJUSTABLY COMPRESSIBLY RETAINING THE SPRING.